Twenty-seven suits have been filed in state courts against multiple defendant companies, 20 in Plaquemines and seven in Jefferson, according to Vic Marcello of Talbot, Carmouche and Marcello, the lead law firm in the legal action.

The suits are not as broadly drawn as the one against 97 oil companies filed by the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority-East, according to the attorney. “They are very narrowly tailored to address only violations of coastal zone regulations and the coastal zone statute and nothing else,” said Marcello.

Criminal Justice

City program costing thousands and going unused? | WWL-TV – This is an in-depth look at the debate over the value of the pre-trial service program run by the Vera Institute. Are the services an example of “ground-breaking reform” or do they waste “scarce money in a cash-strapped criminal justice system?”

Parsing the Promise | NOLA DEFENDER – A detailed look at Sen. Mary Landrieu’s proposal to amend the Affordable Care Act so that some who face cancellation of their current health coverage can maintain it.

Land Use

Alan Philipson, president of the Industrial Development Board that holds title to the 150-acre property on behalf of the city, said in a meeting Tuesday (Nov. 12) that a public process to select a new tenant is being decided and should be finished by the end of the year. He said he hopes to have a new developer vetted and selected by the end of March 2014.

Mark Moseley blogs at Your Right Hand Thief. Until mid 2014, Mark Moseley was The Lens' opinion writer, engagement specialist and coordinator for the Charter Schools Reporting Corps. After Katrina and the Federal Flood he helped create the Rising Tide conference, which grew into an annual social media event dedicated to the future of New Orleans.